The Eatwell Guide shows you how much you should eat from each food group to get the balance right.

Food for energy

Starchy and other forms of carbohydrate provide a source of energy for your body to perform at its best, no matter what your sport or activity.

In general, the more you exercise, the more carbohydrate you need to include in your daily meals and around exercise.

A demanding exercise regime will use up your stored energy from carbohydrate quickly, so include some carbohydrate in most of your meals.

A diet low in carbohydrate can lead to a lack of energy during exercise, loss of concentration, and delayed recovery.

If you wish to adopt a lower carbohydrate diet for your sport, you should seek specialist advice.

Healthy sources of carbohydrate include:

wholegrain bread

wholegrain breakfast cereals (including some cereal bars)

brown rice

wholewheat pasta

potatoes (with skins on)

fruit, including dried and tinned fruit

Food for muscles

Eating protein-rich foods alone won’t build big muscles.

Muscle is gained through a combination of muscle-strengthening exercise, and a diet that contains protein and sufficient energy from a balance of carbohydrates and fats.

Not all the protein you eat is used to build new muscle. If you overeat protein, the excess will be used mostly for energy once your body has what it needs for muscle repair.

Most fitness enthusiasts can get enough protein from a healthy, varied diet without having to increase their protein intake significantly.

Healthy sources of protein:

beans, peas and lentils

cheese, yoghurt and milk

fish, including oily fish like salmon or mackerel

eggs

tofu, tempeh and other plant-based meat-alternatives

lean cuts of meat and mince

chicken and other poultry

A source of protein should be included at most mealtimes to optimise muscle building.

Taking in protein before and after a workout has been shown to help kickstart the muscle repair process.

Training protein snacks:

milk of all types – but lower-fat types contain less energy

unsweetened soy drink

natural dairy yoghurt of all types – including Greek yoghurt and kefir

soy yoghurt and other plant-based alternatives

unsalted mixed nuts and seeds

unsweetened dried fruit

boiled eggs

hummus with carrot and celery sticks

Food before sport and exercise

You should allow about three hours before you exercise after having a main meal, such as breakfast or lunch.

An hour before exercising, having a light snack that contains some protein, and is higher in carbohydrate and lower in fat, is a good choice to help you perform during your training and recover afterwards.

Choose a snack that you’ll digest quickly, like:

porridge

fruit, such as a banana

a slice of wholegrain bread spread thinly with a nut butter

a plain or fruit scone with low-fat cheese

yoghurt or non-dairy alternatives

cottage cheese and crackers

a glass of milk or non-dairy alternatives

Snacks to avoid before exercise

These types of food may cause stomach discomfort if eaten just before exercising.

Fatty foods, like:

chips or french fries

avocados

olives

crisps

full-fat cheeses

large amounts of nuts

High-fibre foods, like:

raw vegetables

high-fibre cereals

raw nuts and seeds

Food and drink during exercise

Most exercise lasting less than 60 minutes only requires water.

If you’re exercising for longer, have a quick-digesting carbohydrate and some electrolytes (salts and minerals), such as:

Water and exercise

Not drinking enough water can have a major effect on your performance.

You should start any exercise session well hydrated. This means drinking water regularly throughout the day.

The choice of drink depends on the intensity and duration of the exercise, and your training goals.

In general:

only water is needed for moderate exercise that lasts less than an hour

an isotonic sports drink, milk, or a combination of high-carbohydrate food and water for hard sessions that last longer than an hour

You can make a homemade sports drink with 200ml of squash (not low calorie), 800ml water and a large pinch of salt.

Learn more from our water and drinks page.

What to eat after exercise

Food and drink also plays a part in recovering effectively from training.

If you train several times a day, refuelling with a source of carbohydrate and protein – such as a glass of milk and a banana – within 60 minutes of finishing your first session can help you recover faster.

If you’re training less than this or have more time to recover, make sure you rehydrate with water and eat as soon as you can afterwards. This might be your next main meal.

Food supplements and exercise

In general, a balanced diet will provide the nutrients and energy necessary for sport without the need for food supplements.

Athletes wanting to use supplements should seek specialist advice from a registered sports performance nutritionist from the Sport and Exercise Nutrition Register (SENr).

Find out more about bodybuilding and sport supplements.

Exercise to lose weight

A demanding exercise routine can leave you feeling quite hungry if you’re not refuelling correctly in between exercise sessions.

If you’re trying to lose weight, you’ll need to watch what you eat and drink after your workouts.

If you consume more energy than you burned during your exercise, you may find yourself putting on weight rather than losing it.